A ball-boy at the centre of a dramatic incident that resulted in a red card for Adelaide United received an FFA Cup winner's medal from a Sydney FC player and was brought on stage to celebrate a Cup title with the club.
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Adelaide United fullback Michael Marrone is facing the prospect of a hefty ban after being sent off for pushing the boy to the ground during extra-time of the FFA Cup final. The ugly incident sparked a large-scale brawl late in the game after Sydney FC players reacted after Marrone made contact with the ball boy while trying to get the ball quickly to take a throw-in.
Footage showed the ball-boy turning away from Marrone as he ran over to get the ball, before the Adelaide defender pulled the youngster to the ground. The incident occurred in the 114th minute, shortly after Adelaide conceded a second goal in their 2-1 loss to Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium. Police spoke with the ball boy after the incident as well as the Head of the A-League, Greg O'Rourke.
"Michael Marrone came over to get the ball off the ball boy. The ball boy didn't give it and [referee] Kris Griffiths Jones knows the story and he is off - straight red. The poor ball-boy is so rattled, it's not funny, he doesn't know what's going on," Fox Sports sideline reporter Adam Peacock said. "I've never seen that before."
Sydney FC midfielder Brandon O'Neill spoke with the ball boy after the game invited him on to the stage to celebrate as Sky Blues were awarded their third trophy of 2017. Sydney fullback Michael Zullo reportedly gave the boy his winner's medal.
Adelaide United coach Marco Kurz apologised on behalf of Marrone and the club for the incident and says it was out of character for a player he describes as the quietest he has coached.
"I can only say sorry and Micky is very down. I think he spoke with the boy after the game and he's OK, it's not his nature and I hope after the talk it was OK but from my side and also from the players' side, we'll say sorry," Kurz said.
Marrone is set to come under scrutiny from the FFA for the incident and could receive an additional suspension. There is no precedent for such an incident in the A-League but in England, Eden Hazard from Chelsea received a three-game ban for violent conduct after kicking at a ball boy.
